Walk Away
by treble-girl
Summary: Unhappy with the life she was given, Tessor packs her bags and sets out for an adventure, and hopefully, a better life.... JXOC
1. Prologue

Unfortunately, as much joy as it would give me, I do not own Treasure Planet. Any unrecognizable characters however, are mine….. Enjoy!!

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"Tessor, hurry up!"

"I'm going as fast as I can, just give me a minute!" I whispered furiously back.

"You don't _have_ any minutes to spare, Tess! If you don't get out of here now, the Mom and Dad are gonna be all over your ass! I don't want to see you get hurt." Rina looked at me reproachfully. I hated to get her upset.

"I know what might happen, why else do you think I'm leaving? I don't wanna get hurt just as much as you don't want me to." I replied.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it, now just get out of here before I have to turn you in."

"Wow, I'm sure gonna miss that sense of humor when I'm gone." I remarked sarcastically.

"Tess, I'm serious," all the laughter gone from her tone. "Just get out of here already." Tears were welling up in her eyes.

"Alright, I'm going. But I _promise_ I'll be back as soon as I possibly can. I just have to disappear for awhile and let Mom and Dad cool down a bit."

"Bye Tess. I'll miss you everyday."

"And I'll miss you even more," I said, leaning back in the window to give Rina a hug. She didn't want to let go though. I pulled out of her firm grasp and climbed down the rope hanging from our, I mean, Rina's bedroom window. Because this wasn't my home anymore. In a way, I don't think it ever had been.

I ran quickly down the hill that led away from the large house. Once I reached the bottom, I turned for one last look. All of the lights were out, except in the one room I had just climbed out of.

I could see Rina clearly silhouetted against the light. She waved at me, and I waved back, fighting down the tears I had been hiding from her. I turned away from the house and walked towards the docks where I would board a ferry-ship that would take me to Montressor Spaceport.

And I never looked back.

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Hello good readers!!! Let me be the first to congratulate you on reading this story. It is my first, and pretty short right now, I'll admit. But the chapters WILL get longer and better, I promise!!! So anyway, please RXR, and I will update at every possible moment. THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


	2. Chapter 1

Hello my faithful readers!!!! I would personally like to welcome you to the 1st OFFICIAL chapter of my story!!! Yayness!!! So anywho, I don't own Treasure Planet, yada yada yada, but I DO own Tessor, and any other character I see fit to make up. So anyway, enjoy!!!

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"Mr. Hawkins," called a sharp, feminine voice. Jim looked up from the deck he was scrubbing.

"Yes, Captain?"

"It would be greatly appreciated if you would come to the helm for a moment and take the wheel, while I check the maps and charts in my stateroom. Can you handle that small task?"

A smile played at the corners of Jim's mouth. "Sure thing Captain," he replied. Captain Amelia raised a pointed eyebrow. Even after one year, this _boy _was still as cocky as the first day she had met him. Even months at the Academy hadn't been able to straighten out that personality quirk of his.

Jim threw his scrub brush and rag into his bucket of soapy water, ascended the stairs to the helm, and accepted the wheel from the Captain.

"Let's try to keep the ship in one piece, shall we? I'm sure you are quite capable of that," she muttered so only Jim could hear. Given his history with ships, Jim grinned at the remark.

"Aye, Captain. The Legacy is in good hands," Jim answered sarcastically. Amelia rolled her eyes, turned and left Jim in her wake. He doubted that the charts really needed to be checked. The RLS Legacy was always right on course, and the Captain _never_ made mistakes.

But seeing as Jim had taken the semester off from the Interstellar Academy to earn his voyaging hours, it was crucial that he be learned in all aspects of ship maneuvering and maintenance. Which was why Jim was currently back in his old position as cabin boy.

_Gotta work your way up, _the Captain had said. _Just like everyone else._

He respected Amelia's decision and made no complaint of the tasks she assigned him. Like scrubbing the deck for instance. An eyeroll escaped him.

_Just like the stuff Silver used to make me do. He made me feel so useless sometimes. But he had his moments._

Jim looked out to the horizon set before him. Millions of stars winked at him from all around, and giant space clouds of every color imaginable swirled around the ship. A sigh of contentment escaped him. These were the moments that truly made him happy, the ones that he lived for.

Sure the Academy was great and all, but it was pretty stifling, and being out in open space was made him feel free and alive, like nothing was out of his reach. Jim's eyes closed in remembrence of his very first voyage. It was then he figured out that _this _was where he belonged. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, another smile playing on his lips. He would gladly trade all of Flint's Trove (which he helped obliterate), to relive that chapter of his life.

Ten uneventful minutes later, Captain Amelia returned from her stateroom.

"All good, Captain?" Jim asked.

"Aye, Mr. Hawkins, everything seems to be in order. Now, if you'll return to your deck swabbing please."

"Aye." Jim turned and left Amelia at the helm, returning to his bucket. He picked the scrub brush out of the soapy water and returned to his task.

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Later that night, Jim lay wide awake in his hammock. Soon the Legacy would return to Montressor Spaceport, and he would be on his way back to the Academy. A strand of hair fell in his eye, and he proceeded to blow it away. He was going to miss the galactic wind on his face and the peaceful rustling of the solar sails.

_I belong in space. Not some classroom. It doesn't matter anyway. Just a few more years, and I'll be out of there and back on a ship._

Jim rolled over in his hammock, closed his eyes and was soon fast asleep.

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Yeah, I know it was a bit of a fluff chapter, but it's completely necessary for my plot. Things are going to get rather interesting in the next few chapters, scout's honor! So anyway, please RXR and another chapter, this time with Tessor, will be up. Toodles!!!!


	3. Chapter 2

OMG!!!! Chapter 2! This is so exciting. All right, so Tessor is actually in this chapter, and things should be getting pretty interesting soon. Have fun!!

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I descended the plank of the ferry and onto the docks of Montressor Spaceport, and took a deep breath of the air. The docks smelled rustic and had a lingering odor. It was a welcome change. I scanned the bustling crowd. All different types of creatures speaking in foreign tongues assaulted my ears. I smiled.

Above, thousands of solar sails flapped gently in the breeze, and the flags of various merchant companies blew with them. All I needed was to find a ship that would take me on as part of the crew.

The next few hours were spent in vain, wandering the docks, asking multiple members of multiple crews if there were any positions available on board. Every answer was a no. Not for a woman they said. Getting frustrated, I accidentally knocked into a repulsive looking thing.

"Watch it, twerp," it leered at me. It turned away and I threw a look of disgust at its retreating back, and continued along the walkway.

It was getting late, and I urgently needed to locate a place to spend the night. I turned, looking for a somewhat friendly face. I found one on a tall creature with six arms and countless eyes.

"Excuse me sir, but do you know where I could find an inn for the night?" The creature gave me a questioning look. I must have sounded pretty stupid to a seasoned sailor.

"Er, I suppose so. The Billsong Inn is a pretty good place. Safe and cheap. Just go left from here about two blocks, and you'll see the sign. Can't miss it."

I thanked him and turned in the direction he had indicated. There was little daylight left now, and the lanterns aligning the streets had yet to be lit. I'd heard the stories about the girls who didn't get inside before this time, and ended up being raped, murdered, and thrown in a gutter, left to rot. This was the most dangerous time of the day.

A few moments later, I saw the sign for the Billsong Inn, swaying gently in the breeze and picked up my pace. In my haste, I failed to notice the sound of another pair of feet following me.

Merely steps away from the door and the inviting light of the windows, a large gloved hand clamped around my mouth, muffling my scream of surprise. Dragged into the nearby alley, I was thrown to the ground, and a menacing figure stood above me.

"Eh there girly, the streets is no place to be wanderin' at this time a night," the hulking figure growled. His body was cloaked, but glowing red eyes were visible from beneath the hood. I don't think I had ever been as frightened as I was at that moment.

"Back off, you bug! I'm no spaceport floozy!" I practically yelled, showing more courage than I was actually feeling at that moment.

"Aye, you might want ta tone down yer voice there. Someone might hear yeh. And if that were to be the case, well, then I'd have to make sure you couldn't speak no more," he hissed, pulling a long, jagged dagger from beneath his cloak. I looked at stained blade, eyes wide with horror.

"Come now, there missy, yeh don't want ta get just. Just follow ole Scarp, and you'll be just fine. Fer now." The last part came out in a hiss so low, I almost didn't catch it.

I scanned the area around me for possible escape routes. The creature was large, and I was willing to bet one thousand drabloons that he wasn't very fast. The only way out of the alley was the direction in which we had come. But right now, it was my only option.

Grabbing a broken pole I spotted on the ground, I leapt up and pointed the broken end towards the unwelcome stranger. "If you don't want to be speared on the end of this pole in the next five seconds, I suggest you move out of my way buddy," I snarled as menacingly as I could. For a moment, a look of surprise flashed through his eyes. Then it faded.

"That wasn't a very smart move girly. Now I'll have te finish ya fer certain. And I was so hopin' I could have some fun with yeh first." I winced. His voice sounded so malicious, I could practically _hear_ the smirk in his voice. A dark laugh echoed through the alley as he advanced towards me. I felt a wall against my back and realized I had subconsciously retreated and accidentally trapped myself.

The creature got closer and closer, eyes gleaming with a lust for blood, the hand with the dagger twitching by his side.

_This is it. Not even one day into my attempt at a new life, and I'm already about to die._

I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for my life to end.

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Haha, CLIFFHANGER!!!!! Sorry, but I just couldn't resist! And besides, I wanted to add some suspense to the plot. Now that you are full of anticipation, you're just gonna have to wait for the next chapter. Sorry. *shrugs* Anyway, please RXR and I'll update at the next possible opportunity. In the meantime, you can imagine what you think will happen to Tessor. :P


	4. Chapter 3

Mwahaha!!!! Time for chapter 3!!! I actually came up with chapter at work. Who knew that a grocery store could be so inspiring?? Well anyway, I would just like to thank I Don't Dance I Fall. I am SSOOO flattered to be on a favorites list 3 days into my story! Ok, so disclaimer time. I do not own Treasure Planet, or any of its original characters. Enjoy!

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Seated at the bar of the Billsong Inn, Jim took a swig from his tankard. The Legacy had reached port that morning, and he was glad for the chance to take a break from tedious cabin boy jobs.

He glanced around the packed space. Sailors, merchants and even some floozies occupied every available seat in the front room. A small band in the corner of the room was playing a fast-paced jig, and couples were swinging around the middle of the room. Several good-looking lasses and some not so good-looking ones had invited Jim, but he had politely declined each time. Dancing wasn't really his forte anyway.

Turning back to his drink, Jim glanced out the window. He saw a rather scrawny girl walking quickly towards the door to the inn, but that wasn't what he was focused on. The girl didn't seem to notice the large, hulking figure that seemed to be pursuing her.

Jim's eyes went wide as he saw the figure advance upon the girl from behind, slap his hand over her mouth, and drag her into the alley adjoining the inn. The girl struggled, but apparently, she wasn't strong enough to fend off the creature.

Jim shot up out of his seat, knocking over his tankard and barstool in the process. Several pairs of eyes turned on him, curious at his defensive behavior, but he didn't even notice. He had to help her, before she got hurt.

Grabbing his pocketknife, Jim ran towards the door, grabbed his jacket off the peg, and dashed into the dark night. Swiftly and silently as he could, Jim proceeded to the mouth of the alleyway. He accidentally knocked over a crate, but the creature's attention was focused on the girl at the moment, and didn't notice Jim.

The creature stood menacingly over the girl, who had fallen to the ground. Jim noticed the dagger flash in the creature's hand. The girl noticed it too, and looked up that the figure, eyes wide with fear.

She glanced away from the creature, towards the opening of the alley. For a moment, Jim thought she had seen him, but her eyes swept past him. She then turned her attention towards the ground and her eyes lighted on something

Suddenly she leapt up, brandishing a broken pole in an attempt to intimidate the creature. Jim couldn't hide his look of surprise. Most girls would be screaming for help at this point, but this one was actually trying to defend herself. But it didn't seem to be working as well as she planned.

The girl was backing towards a wall, and seemed to be unaware of it. She was giving herself nowhere to go, and it would be a fatal mistake. She suddenly realized this, and squeezed her eyes shut in defeat. But the creature would not hurt this girl, not if Jim could help it.

Pulling the knife out of his pocket, Jim rushed towards the back of the cloaked figure, a snarl escaping from his lips. The figure whirled on him, and the girl jerked her head up in surprise.

Jim suddenly realized who exactly the girl's attacker was.

_No! Scarp? Why, of all the criminals on the docks, did it have to be Scarp?!_

Scarp hissed in anger, his murder attempt foiled. The two lunged at each other, knives held up. Jim and Scarp collided and fell to the ground, each trying to fling the other's knife away.

Jim had seemed to be gaining an advantage on Scarp. Suddenly, another dagger appeared in Scarp's other hand. Jim attempt to dodge it, but not quickly enough. The cold, steel blade buried itself in his arm. Hot pain flashed through the limb, and it was all Jim could do to keep from letting out a scream.

Out of nowhere, gravity suddenly vanished. Jim glanced up in surprise and turned towards the girl. Her eyes were glowing red, and anger contorted her features. He had never seen anything like this. A vicious snarl ripped loose from her and Scarp was slammed harshly against the wall and was knocked out.

"Hey! Girl, snap out of it!" Jim yelled. The red eyes turned towards him, and Jim's eyes went wide. He didn't know what to expect from her. With a flick of her finger, Jim was unceremoniously dropped to the ground, and the girl's red eyes faded. She too fell to the ground and was rendered unconscious.

Jim stared at her unmoving frame, not sure what to do.

_What the hell was that?!_

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Wasn't this chapter just so exciting?! You bet it was! So, like always, RXR and stay tuned! There'll be another chapter up soon!!


	5. Chapter 4

Wow, chapter 4 already! Whew, I'm really pushing this story along!! Thanks to Christian4Life. Constructive criticism is always welcome!! Right, so I don't own Treasure Planet and all that, but Tessor and Scarp are MINE. So don't go getting any ideas about using them for you own selfish purposes. Haha, just kidding. But seriously, they belong to me…..

By the way, in this chapter, so no one gets confused, _this is Tessor's thoughts, __**and this is her other thoughts. **_It'll make sense soon enough. 

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A snarl ripped loose from somewhere behind Scarp's hulking figure. My eyes flew open in surprise, and I saw someone, a boy it seemed, running towards Scarp, knife drawn and ready to attack.

_He's crazy! He can't possibly be any older than me, and he's going to attack?! Is he insane? _I screamed in my head.

_No. Keep your temper level. Don't let anything out. _I forced myself to take several deep breaths, and remain as calm as could be in the given situation. It seemed to be working.

Forgetting me momentarily, Scarp turned his attention towards the boy and flew at him, dagger held high. They collided with a resounding thud, and fell in a heap on the ground, the sound of metal on metal piercing the night.

The smart thing to do would have been to take the opportunity and run. But my feet weren't working so well and I was rooted to the spot. I couldn't even seem to take my eyes of the two fighting in front of me. My eyes widened as I saw Scarp pull a second knife on the boy.

_He's going to get hurt because of me. Because I couldn't even defend myself! Why did he even have to get involved?! _ My attempts to keep my anger in check were futile. It coursed through my veins, and I felt myself beginning to loose control.

_**Succumb to your anger Tessor. Let me out.**_

_No! I can handle this on my own! Just stay away!_

_**I don't think I can do that Tessor. You can't get rid of me. I am ALWAYS here, whether you like it or not.**_

I held my head between my hands, as if to squeeze the unwelcome presence from my brain. Suddenly, the sound of ripping flesh assaulted my ears. My head flew up, and the boy's face was contorted with pain, blood flowing from a large gash on his arm. Scarp held his knife, stained with fresh blood, over his head and glanced over at me to make sure I was still watching.

I snapped.

Raw power flowed through me. My eyes shone bright red and the gravity around me vanished. Both Scarp and the boy looked up at me in shock. Before either one had a chance to move, I slammed Scarp's body against the wall, dropping him to the ground and turning my attention on the boy.

_He must be so appalled!_

_**Why worry? I'll take care of him as well.**_

_No!! You won't! He has done nothing but try to help me! I won't let you harm one hair on him!!_

_**We'll just see about that.**_

If alternate personalities could smirk, mine probably would be at this point. All while this silent battle was raging within me, the boy just stared, dumbfounded. After a moment, he regained his voice.

"Hey! Girl snap out of it!" he called to me.

_**Finish him.**_

_I won't! You can't make me do anything! I am in control. _Though it sapped me of most of my strength, I managed to force the presence away from my mind and back to where it could not control me.

My eyes faded back to their original brown, and consciousness slipped away from me. Gravity resumed and I fell to the ground with a thud.

The boy was still staring.

After a minute or two, I felt myself coming to. I could hear a low groan escape Scarp's limp body, and the boy muttered, "Oh no. This is _not _good."

Something warm encompassed me and I was lifted from the ground. I could only assume it was the boy carrying me because I could feel his blood seeping into my clothing.

A low groan escaped my lips and my eyes fluttered open. We were to the mouth of the alley and the boy looked down at me tentatively.

"Oh good, you're awake. Can you stand?" I looked up at him questioningly. Why did he even care? I nodded, and he placed me on the ground.

"Thanks," I muttered, avoiding eye contact.

"Don't mention i--." A loud whistle cut him off, and his head whirled towards Scarp, an evil grin playing on his features.

The boy's eyes went wide and he yelled, "RUN!"

Life had taught me not to hesitate in with an imminent threat around. This was one of those times.

I took off after him, not caring where he was leading me. A quick glance over my shoulder told me that we were being pursued by some "friends" of Scarp. They were all large and menacing, and I did NOT want the pleasure of meeting any of them.

As we ran for our lives, I knocked over crates and barrels behind me, attempting to foil theirs attempts at capturing us. As the chase continued, my lungs burned and my legs ached, but I willed myself to go even faster. The boy seemed to have no trouble keeping pace.

After what seemed like a century of fleeing, the noises behind us died down. I stole another glance over my shoulder and saw that no one was following us anymore. But I didn't let my guard down. Scarp didn't seem like the type to let someone go free.

So we kept running. It was sort of like some unspoken, mutual agreement between the two of us. I let him lead, assuming that he knew where he was going. We ran, it seemed, for hours until he came to a stop in front of a loading plank, connected to the deck of one of the smaller ships. The RLS Legacy, it read.

I, having somewhat of a one-track mind, didn't notice he had stopped until I plowed right into him, knocking both of us over. I landed ungraciously on top of him, a look of surprise on him. A blush rose to my already red face and it took me a second to remember how to work my limbs.

I hastily pulled myself off of him, brushed off my clothes, and offered him a hand up. He accepted it, still giving me a strange look.

"Come on," he said, grabbing my arm. I yanked away out of habit, but it didn't seem to bother him. He gestured for me to follow him up the plank, and I did so. We reached the deck of the ship without further incident and I followed him, my eyes trained on my feet.

He came to a stop in front of the entrance to the galley. "We should be safe here. For now anyways." He gave me a smile. "Come on, you can sleep down here."

I continued to follow him down the steps and he led me down a hallway and opened a door to a guest cabin. "Sleep here," he directed. I made no argument and walked quickly into the cramped room. "Don't get used to it though, these are usually only for paying passengers." I said nothing in response.

He shut the door with a soft _click, _and I was left alone.

_Finally, I can SLEEP._ At that moment, the small bed looked so comfortable and inviting, it was all I could do to not throw myself upon it.

_Wait. I'm on my own now, I can do whatever I want! _So I DID throw myself onto the bed, my smile wide. I closed my eyes in contentment, relaxed for the first time that day, and was soon fast asleep.

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Jim walked down the hallway, towards where the crew slept. All of the adrenaline from his fight and chase left him, and he was dead tired. He glanced down at his arm, remembering for the first time that night what had happened to it.

Letting out a sigh, Jim changed direction and headed to the galley to bandage up the injury. After cleaning and dressing it, he laid his head down on the table.

_I'll just rest my eyes for a few seconds, _he thought sleepily. After a few seconds, Jim was quietly snoring.

Outside near the loading plank of the Legacy, a green, slimy creature watched the two walk down into the ship. He waited for a few minutes and, satisfied that they would not be leaving the ship, ran off. His master would be pleased to hear about this.

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Oh my gosh you guys, this is my longest chapter by far! So, I hope you enjoyed reading it, and your reviews are always welcome. I accept anonymous reviews by the way. So please, leave your comments! I am always happy to hear what you have to say about my story. Except flames. I don't like those very much.


	6. Chapter 5

Hey there, chapter 5 time! Thanks for all the comments, constructive criticism is always welcome.  Enjoy!!

Oh, and I don't own Treasure Planet, incase you didn't know that already.

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The door swung open quietly, but that didn't stop it from creaking slightly on its rusted hinges. Still half asleep, I assumed I was dreaming the noise and ignored it. Big mistake.

I had almost fallen all the way asleep again, when I heard this soft, squeaky noise. Unwilling to open my eyes, the noise persisted more loudly. With a grunt of frustration, I cracked on eye open.

"GAH!" I tumbled out of the bed into a heap on the floor, the sheets tangled around me. A little pink blob was zooming around the room, and I swatted at it like a fly. It seemed to think I was playing some game with it, and it was squeaking even more loudly. It latched onto a piece of my hair and pulled on it, attempting to drag me from the floor.

Finally, I managed to free myself of the sheets and the pink blob gave up on my hair. That's when I noticed that I wasn't alone. The boy from the night before was standing at the threshold of the room, just staring at me. He was trying to hold back laughter, but wasn't doing a very good job of it.

"Oh man, you should have seen your FACE! It was priceless!" He stopped trying to hold back his laughter and tears of mirth rolled down his face. Mine turned bright red. I scowled up at him and picked myself up with as much dignity as I could muster in the given situation.

I turned my back on him and went to the corner where I had left my boots. I pulled them on quickly, turned and walked back over to the boy, who was _still laughing._ I stopped in front of him and tapped my foot impatiently. I wanted to smack him.

He finally pulled himself together and noticed I was standing in front of him. "Well?" I said. "What do you want?" I crossed my arms and waited for a reply.

"The captain would like a word with you." I looked at him in surprise.

_The captain? How'd the captain even know I was onboard?_

Almost as if he had read my mind, he said, "I told Captain Amelia about you this morning. Kinda had to didn't I? You wouldn't want her thinking you're a stowaway. She doesn't take too kindly to those not willing to pay their way on her ship."

Unable to come up with any good comebacks, I grudgingly followed him out the door and down the hallway. Upon reaching the stairs that led to the outside deck, a loud rumble reminded me that I hadn't had anything to eat in at least the past twelve hours. The boy turned at me and cocked an eyebrow.

"You hungry?" I clutched my growling stomach, willing the sounds to stop. I nodded. "Guess you'll have to wait until after you talk to the captain. Tough luck."

I shot him a malevolent look. _ 'Guess you'll just have to wait?' Who does this guy think he is?!. _I rolled my eyes and gave him one of those, whatever-I-don't-care, looks. He just smirked at me. Then I remembered that _I _was the stranger on this ship, and that he didn't_ have_ to be doing any of this for me.

As we walked across the sunlit deck of the ship, the pink blob that had awoken me earlier came zooming up to us. It flitted around the boy's head for a moment and noticing me, came to hover in front of my face.

Before I could swat it away again, it nuzzled up against my cheek, as if to say sorry for waking me up, and changed into a miniature version of me.

"Woah!" I exclaimed. "What is that thing?"

The boy glanced over his shoulder, and rolled his eyes at me as if I were stupid or something. "That's Morph. He's just, a morph I guess," he answered with a shrug of indifference.

"Aw, he's so cute! Where'd you get him?"

The boy looked back at me again, his face clouded over. "I got him… from a friend," he said, his voice and face devoid of emotion. He turned back around and refused to say anything else.

I continued to follow him along the deck and I could feel the scrutinizing stares of the crew on me. I kept my head down and continued to follow the boy until he came to a stop in front of a door near the back of the ship.

"The captain's in here," he muttered. He opened the door and I walked in silently, glancing around the stately room. Everything was in perfect order, from the charts and navigation tools on the desk to the globes and books on the shelves. It was sort of intimidating.

At the desk sat a very feline looking woman, a doggish man standing up next to her. They were quietly arguing over a map. The boy announced our presence by clearing his throat. The two at the desk looked up.

"Ah, Mr. Hawkins. I see you've brought our _guest,"_ the feline woman, whom I assumed to be the captain, stated.

_What's with the sarcasm? I didn't do anything wrong. HE was the one who brought me on this ship in the first place._ I kept my eyes downward.

The captain addressed me. "What is your name young lady?" I looked up.

"Umm… it's Tessor."

"I see. Is there a last name that goes with it?"

"Smithe," I answered, looking the captain in the eye for the first time.

"I see." She looked back down at the map she had been studying. "Care to explain why you are on my ship, Miss Smithe?"

My eyes went wide. How was I supposed to explain what happened last night? Hadn't he already told her?

"Um, well, you see ma'am, I met him," I nodded my head to indicate Mr. Hawkins, "last night you see, and he…"

"Offered her a job on the ship," he interjected, cutting me off. "I heard she had been asking around for one all day, and I thought she could take Mr. Mongle's place," he lied smoothly.

I glanced over at him and sent him a look of thanks. I had had no idea how I was going to explain myself to the captain. She looked up at me again and sized me up.

"Well, seeing as she's already here, and you've already offered her the job, I see no reason to deny her the chance." I let out the breath I had been holding. At least she was letting me stay.

"As for her taking Mr. Mongle's place however, I don't think that would work out quite so well. So I'll place her in _your _charge, Mr. Hawkins."

"What?!" we both shouted at the same time.

"No arguments Mr. Hawkins, my decision is final. Unless that is, you would like to leave the ship Miss Smithe."

No way was I going back to wander the docks alone. "No, I would like to stay on the ship," I told her.

"Alright then, now that's settled. From now on, Miss Smithe, as long as you are a part of _my_ crew, you will address me as Captain, or ma'am, is that clear?" I rolled my eyes in annoyance.

"Miss Smithe?"

"Yes, ma'am," I answered.

"I suppose that'll have to do for now. Mr. Hawkins, please escort Miss Smithe to the galley and set her to work. Be sure she stays busy." The captain returned her attention to the maps on her desk, and I had no choice but to follow the boy. Needless to say, I was less than pleased with the arrangements. Guess it was out of my hands now.

He led me out of the captain's stateroom and back to the galley. My stomach rumbled loudly again.

"Here," he said, handing me a bowl of stew. "Eat this." It looked pretty nasty, and there were some questionable things floating in it, but what choice did I have? It was that, or starving. He seated himself across from me and looked at me expectantly.

I took a tentative sip of the brew, and deeming it edible, slurped up the rest of it. It tasted okay. I looked up mid-slurp. He was staring at me with a look that seemed to be half disgust, and half admiration. I looked at him questioningly.

"What?" I demanded. "Haven't you ever seen a hungry girl eat before?"

"Not like that. Most girls I know wouldn't have inhaled their stew like that."

"Like what?" I demanded. _Is he calling me strange? Psh, I bet he doesn't even know that many girls in the first place._

"Like… nothing. Forget it." He turned away from me.

_Geez, this guy doesn't like to finish his conversations does he?_ I shook my head and returned to my stew, taking care to eat it more slowly.

"So."

"So?"

"So, since I'm going to be in your charge and all now, shouldn't I at least know your name?" He looked thoughtful for a moment.

"Didn't I tell you my name already?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Oh, sorry. I'm Jim," he said, sticking out his hand for me to shake.

"Tessor," I said, returning the gesture.

"But I already know that."

"I know you know that. I'm just trying to be the polite one here. Ever heard of manners?" I asked sarcastically. Jim looked taken aback. Then he got mad.

"Listen here, _cabin girl,_" he spat. "I'm in charge, and I won't let you talk down to me, especially when I out rank you!" He shot up from the table and stalked out of the galley.

"Alright, alright already, geez! Sorry _sir. _I didn't mean to _talk down _to you," I called after him.

_Good god! Some one needs to go stick his head in an icebox! _I thought bitterly. Talk down, indeed. I'll show him talk down.

Barely a day onboard, and this was already shaping up to be one interesting voyage.

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Haha, another long chapter, just for you guys!!! As always, please RXR and I'll update at the next possible moment. Toodles!!!


	7. Chapter 6

Hey you guys. Sorry I haven't updated in awhile. The juniors have been having to fill out all of these forms for senior year, I've had a ton of essays to write for English, and I'm trying to keep my precal grade up at an A, which I am succeeding at thankfully. My AP English grade, however, leaves much to be desired. Anyway, I've finally found some time to write, (at LAST) although I must warn you, I won't be able to update as often as I had been. I think I was on a writing high or something. So, thanks for your comments and I am taking ALL of them into consideration. Some of you mentioned the similarities between Tessor and Jim. This is on purpose, I promise. You'll learn more about Tessor soon enough. Just be patient!! Anyway, on with chapter 6!!!!

I know I've said it before…. I don't own Treasure Planet, but Morph is just ssooo cute, I would gladly pay any sum of money for him!!! XD

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Atop the crow's nest, Jim scanned the sky around the ship, checking for an all clear. At the moment, there were no other ships within the launching vicinity.

"It's all clear, captain!" he called down. Captain Amelia proceeded to call out orders to the crew, and the launch began.

Launching had always been his favorite part of being on a ship. The momentary loss of gravity, the initial blast that would send them rocketing into open space. He scanned the deck below him.

_New girl doesn't seem to be enjoying the launch very much_, he mused. Indeed she wasn't. Tessor was clinging onto the main mast for dear life, and had shrieked when the gravity disappeared. The artificial gravity motors kicked in suddenly, and she slid back down to the deck, and let out an obvious sigh of relief.

_She'd better grab onto something before—_but he before he could finish the thought, the engines had gone full power, and Tessor, caught unawares, was thrown back across the deck.

Jim winced. _That's gonna leave a mark. _He shook his head. It was painfully obvious that this girl had never been on a ship before.

He swiftly descended the shrouds and landed with a thump on the deck. Tessor picked herself carefully off of the ground, and proceeded to walk over to the ship's railing, throw her head over it, and empty the contents over her stomach. Jim winced in pity.

Jim walked over and placed himself next to Tessor. "Feeling well?"

"Fine and dandy, thanks for asking," she muttered. Tessor sucked in a breath and spat over the side of the ship. "What's it to you?"

Jim simply shrugged. "Well, seeing as you're in my charge and all, I can't have you hurling every few minutes." Tessor glared up at him. "I'm just saying," he continued. "Well, the sickness will go away soon enough, and then you should be fine."

Jim walked off, leaving Tessor leaning against the railing. _What, is he bipolar?! _She shook her head. Like it even mattered. As soon as this voyage was over, she was so out of there. Tessor turned back to the galley and headed below deck.

Upon reaching the galley, Tessor sniffed the air. _What is that? Smells like stew. Oh no, food._ She clamped her hand over her mouth and ran over to a hopefully empty barrel. After several minutes of retching, Tessor stood up and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and peered back into the barrel._ Crap._ Several pounds of fresh purps were now stewing in her stomach juices. She sighed._ Jim's gonna love this._

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I know I know, this is a super short chapter, but once again, I am just so busy with school right now, you all are lucky you're even getting this! But I digress. As always, please please please, RXR and I will update just as soon as my life becomes less hectic. Toodles!


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